Equitable assessment (Swedish: likvärdig bedömning) means that students with the same knowledge level should receive the same grade regardless of which school they attend, which teacher they have or where in the country they live. It is a central principle in the Swedish grading system.
Challenges
In practice, research and the Swedish Schools Inspectorate's reviews show that assessment is not always equitable. Differences can arise from local assessment cultures, ambiguous knowledge requirements and insufficient collaborative grading. The decentralisation of the Swedish school system makes equitability a challenge.
Tools for equitability
National tests, assessment support from Skolverket, collaborative grading between teachers and external marking of tests are all tools aimed at strengthening equitability. Since 2018, trials of central marking of national tests in selected subjects have been underway.